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Welcome to the McGill Innovation Fund

Entering its fifth year of operation, the MIF is a uniquely successful entrepreneurial funding program that has helped university research move out of the laboratory and into real-world applications. With every application linked to a Report of Invention, the MIF is one of the few programs in Canada to directly mobilize the translation of research into valuable business ventures. At the same time, the MIF is not limited to generating spinoffs – applications to pursue the development of a technology for licensing to another company are also eligible.

Generous funding

The foundation of the MIF is the substantial funding it can provide to successful teams. Awards are divided among three stages: Discover ($25,000), Develop ($50,000) and Deploy ($100,000). These stages are not sequential – teams are welcome to apply at whatever stage makes sense, and provided they meet the eligibility requirements. Details can be found here.

Returning for a third year, there is also a supplemental award generously provided by the McGill AMR Centre. This $50,000 award will be provided in addition to any of the other stages for teams who are focused on solutions to prevent, diagnose and treat life-threatening bacterial infections. Also returning this year is the Marc Boghossian Award in Sustainability and Clean Tech, which offers $40,000 in supplemental funding for teams focused on solutions that reduce consumption of natural resources, help clean up hazardous materials or have other impacts on sustainability.

Alumni advice

What sets the MIF apart from many other programs is the access to the advice and expertise of a growing body of ecosystem members. These volunteers – all McGill alumni – freely contribute their expertise in company and business development through an intensive series of advisory board meetings. They also take part as guest speakers, selection day judges and networking guests. In many cases, they have opened doors and made introductions for teams that are simply unavailable elsewhere.